Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,478 per month in Medina vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,848 per month in Medina vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,219 per month in Medina vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Medina costs about 1% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medina and Mexico City sit above the global median – Medina by 10%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 SAR 20.55

$13.18 MX$228

-58.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.47 SAR 118

$53.9 MX$932

-41.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.18 SAR 30.68

$9.42 MX$163

-13.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

Cappuccino

$2.55 SAR 9.56

$3.55 MX$61.4

-28.17%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 SAR 3.07

$1.62 MX$27.98

-49.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.45

$1.11 MX$19.27

-64.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.70 MX$29.43

-4.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.68

$2.72 MX$47.02

-63.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$1.91 MX$33.07

24.08%

Eggs

$2.12 SAR 7.97

$2.54 MX$43.86

-16.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 SAR 24.35

$10.03 MX$174

-35.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 SAR 26.13

$8.09 MX$140

-13.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 SAR 47.44

$11.62 MX$201

8.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 SAR 9.05

$2.97 MX$51.3

-18.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.94

$1.81 MX$31.24

16.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$2.01 MX$34.82

12.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$2.03 MX$35.20

-19.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$2.12 MX$36.75

-35.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$2.27 MX$39.25

-36.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 SAR 3.70

$1.40 MX$24.22

-29.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 SAR 3.27

$1.13 MX$19.55

-23.01%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SAR 28.44

$4.27 MX$73.9

77.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.38 MX$6.62

176.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.18 SAR 140

$19.18 MX$332

93.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$1.38 MX$23.79

-5.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$0.28 MX$4.78

485.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 SAR 20.48

$5.45 MX$94.2

0.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$1.30 MX$22.55

-50.77%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

13.10%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-8.61%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$199 SAR 748

$40.86 MX$707

387.49%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$33.10 SAR 124

$26.81 MX$464

23.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 SAR 392

$29.96 MX$518

248.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.4 SAR 283

$52.0 MX$900

44.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.01 SAR 33.80

$26.84 MX$464

-66.43%

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 SAR 49.38

$6.30 MX$109

108.89%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,088

$436 MX$7,544

-33.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,586 SAR 28.5K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-27.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.12 SAR 139

$56.7 MX$980

-34.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 SAR 196

$44.38 MX$768

17.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 SAR 247

$103 MX$1,780

-36.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 SAR 363

$106 MX$1,825

-8.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 SAR 1,591

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-58.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 SAR 2,085

$631 MX$10.9K

-11.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 SAR 2,670

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-66.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 SAR 1,547

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-66.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,340 SAR 8,782

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-40.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,313 SAR 4,929

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-36.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,316 SAR 4,940

$1,115 MX$19.3K

18.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-73.54%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medina: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Medina versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Medina, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Medina versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $288 – making Medina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medina vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medina costs about 1% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,217 per month in Medina and $2,201 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $290 per month in Medina and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 44% cheaper in Medina – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Medina at $1,478. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,467 versus $1,478 in Medina. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.